Improvement in vaults



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN HARKNESS, OF VINGENNES, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN VAULTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,413, dated March19, 1878; application filed January 19, 1878.

To all whom it magj concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN HARKNESS, of Vincennes, in the county of Knoxand State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Vault, of whichthe following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a concrete vault built over asheet-iron form. Fig.

2 is a transverse section of a concrete vault formed over a woodensupport. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a sheet-iron vault, andFig. 4 is a transverse section of the same.

My invention relates to vaults for burial purposes; and it consists in avault made in the grave over a sheet-iron or wooden form, which containsthe burial-casket. It also consists in a sheet-metal vault of novelconstruction, which is permanently closed after the casket is placed inthe grave.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In carrying out my invention I form in the bottom of the grave a floor,A, of concrete, made of any of the well-known kinds of hydraulic cementand clean sand. Upon this floor the casket is placed, and covered witheither the sheet-metal arch B or the wooden arch O, and the concrete isapplied to the arch, forming a complete hermetically-sealed vault, whichwill resist the action of both time and the elements, and has sufficientstrength to support the superimposed earth, and prevent the caving in ofthe grave, and the consequent tipping of tombstones.

If it is desired to make the top of the vault removable, the sides ofthe vault may be built up to where the top joins it, when the top of thewalls may be covered with paper or other {)llllll material that willrender the top remova- In Figs. 3 and 4, D represents a sheet-metalbottom, which is provided with a flange, a, around its outer edge, andwith a vertical ledge or flange, b, ashort distance from the edge, whichconsists of angle-iron riveted to the bottom.

The main body of the sheet-metal vault consists of one or more pieces ofmetal, E, ribbed or corrugated, and bent into the form of an arch. Aflange, c, is turned on its edges, which is received between the flangea and ledge 12 on the bottom.

Heads 61 are fitted to the ends of the sheetmetal arch, which have aflange turned on them that fits over the outside of the sheetiron arch,and have a piece, 0, of angle-iron riveted to them inside of the arch.The lower edge of each head has formed on it a flange, f, which isreceived between the flange a and angle-iron b of the bottom. 7 V

The bottom is first placed in the grave, and the casket is placedupo'n'it. The sheet-iron arch Eis then put in its place, and the head orend pieces are put on. The flange a is 'now turned down tightly over theflanges c f by means of a special tool.

If desired, this vault may be closed before placing it in the grave.

The bottom of this sheet-metal vault may, if desired, be bedded inconcrete, and the arch may be covered with the same material. This wouldmake a vault that would be practically indestructible.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patcut- 1. The method of forming a concrete vault by firstforming in the grave a concrete floor, and placing thereon a form ofwood or iron over the casket, and building upon the form the sides,ends, and top of the vault, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The method of rendering the top separable from the walls by placingon the walls a layer of paper or other similar material, and buildingthereon the cover of the vault, as herein shown and described.

3. A sheet-metal vault consisting of the bottom D, having flanges a b,the corrugated and flanged top E, and the flanged end pieces d,substantially as herein shown and described.

EDWIN HAEKNESS.

